CSIRO budget cut would be travesty: ALP

Federal Labor says cutting funding for the CSIRO would be a "travesty" for science policy.Source: AAP

CUTTING the funding of the country's peak science body would be a "travesty" for science policy and harm Australia's global reputation, federal Labor says.

The CSIRO is reportedly preparing for sweeping cuts in the coalition government's first budget next month. The government's commission of audit is tipped to have the CSIRO in its sights.

Fairfax Media says the CSIRO is modelling scenarios in which it could lose as much as 20 per cent of its annual $757 million a year budget.

Labor's innovation spokesman Kim Carr said the science community and the broader public should be outraged by the "attack".

"This is a travesty for science policy and scientific research in Australia," Senator Carr said in a statement on Monday.

The value of the agency's work was immense to both the economy and society, Senator Carr said, accusing the government of treating the CSIRO's work with "utter contempt" and potentially harming Australia's position in the global science community.

Unions on Friday announced the CSIRO would shed a further 300 jobs, after it cut 400 positions over the past year.

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